1. A great setting.
2. An interesting back story.
3. Unusual happenstances.
4. An intriguing score.
5. Effective use of light and shadow.6. A possible ethereal presence.
All of these criteria are on display in the 1944 ghost tale The Uninvited.
While vacationing along the coast of England, a composer (Ray Milland) and his sister (Ruth Hussey) discover a beautiful house located next to the sea, appropriately named Windward. They decide impulsively to purchase it, even though their terrier Bobby refuses to climb the stairs. (People would be so much wiser if they would take cues from their pets.) Bobby soon leaves, realizing that their presence in the house is “uninvited.”
Windward's previous owner (Donald Crisp) is cold and curious His granddaughter, Stella Meredith (Gail Russell), lives with him because her mother is dead. Stella is horribly upset to learn that the house has been sold. Her grandfather had forbidden her to go to the house, but the new owners welcome her warmly.
The house contains an artist’s studio which is decidedly colder than any of its other rooms. There is an occasional sudden smell of mimosa, and it is sometimes very strong. But it is the sound of a woman sobbing uncontrollably in the wee hours of the night that truly lets us know there is a mystery afoot. But is there really a ghost? And if so, who is she and what does she want?
The Uninvited relies heavily on music and visuals to create its haunting atmosphere. Victor Young composed the score, which features the lovely “Stella by Starlight” theme. His 220 film credits include Scaramouche, The Quiet Man, and The Blue Dahlia.
The cinematography is capably filmed through the lens of Charles Lang, Jr. who was also responsible for The Cat and the Canary, The Ghost Breakers, and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The IMDb reports that Leon Shamroy and Lang were nominated 18 times for Academy Awards. Shamroy won four times but Lang only once.The cast features Alan Napier as a doctor. Napier had a long, successful film career, but is best remembered for playing the very reliable butler Alfred to Batman in the 1960s TV series.
One of the scariest characters of the movie is Miss Holloway (Cornelia Otis Skinner), who is unfortunately in charge of a sanitorium named for Stella’s mother, Mary, for whom she has an unnatural affection reminiscent of Mrs. Danvers to Rebecca.
Most of the performers are solid except for Gail Russell. The Uninvited is not a masterpiece, but it has all of the elements needed to make it a recommended viewing for those who enjoy a good ghost story.
